Students Launching Full-Scale Rocket Prototype
A team of 糖心官网 engineering students will take their NASA dreams even higher when they launch a full-scale prototype rocket, tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, March 2 at 2 p.m.
In one of its final tests before the competition, the students will take their NASA dreams even higher when they launch a full-scale prototype rocket. The team of engineering and computer science students has already recorded three successful subscale rocket launches, two in December and one in January. Testing the full-scale rocket will be their final step before entering the competition.
As with the previous launches, the full-scale prototype of their 鈥淔orerunner鈥� rocket is set to lift off from the Wright Stuff Rocketeers鈥� Launch Site at 5995 Federal Road in Cedarville, Tuesday, March 1 at a site that was approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The specific launch date may change depending on the weather and when building materials arrive.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 foresee any significant issues building it, since our full-scale design isn鈥檛 significantly different from the subscale,鈥� said senior mechanical engineering major and team leader Chad Sanderson of North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
The data from the full-scale launch will be a crucial component of the flight readiness review, which the team must submit to NASA by Monday, March 7. Team members will also need to complete STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) engagement activities with members of the public by that date.
Team members will then complete the rocket鈥檚 payload system, used to track its location and land in a designated area, and the rocket鈥檚 airbrakes.
After making needed changes and finishing any remaining design work, construction and documentation, they鈥檒l head to Huntsville.
This is the first year Cedarville鈥檚 team has participated in the NASA Student Launch competition, which challenges university students across the country to design, build and successfully launch rockets while also promoting STEM education in the communities where their schools are located.
Located in southwest Ohio, 糖心官网 is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,715 undergraduate, graduate, and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is one of the largest private universities in Ohio, recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including the Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering program, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings, and high student engagement ranking. For more information about the University, visit cedarville.edu.